Bottom line: Baidu's sale of its mobile game unit represents a broader shedding of non-search assets as it moves into artificial intelligence, though it's far from clear how AI will provide a future business model.

Baidu continues AI migration

Search giant Baidu (Nasdaq: BIDU) is in yet another headline today that reflects its latest attempt at transformation from its original search business to an artificial intelligence (AI) specialist. This time the development is rel...

Bottom line: Tencent's soaring market value reflects its leading position as a developer of social networking products, and its concurrent ability to monetize those products.

Tencent opens A1 lab in Seattle

It seems that Internet titan Tencent (HKEx: 700) can do no wrong these days, at least based on a recent run-up in its share price. Just a couple of weeks after China's Internet wunderkind passed US banking giant Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC) to become the world's 10th most ...

Bottom line: Baidu's opening of a new artificial intelligence lab in Silicon Valley is the latest move in its AI obsession, which is likely to end in failure and a quiet pullback in around two years due to mediocre execution.

Baidu in new Silicon Valley R&D lab

I'm officially dubbing Baidu (Nasdaq: BIDU) chief executive Robin Li the "two-year attention span man", with word that the company is setting up a new Silicon Valley office in the rush to build up its artificial i...